SUSD approves new law academy

Wednesday

Jan 26, 2011 at 12:01 AM

STOCKTON - Even as two other key issues remained unsettled, Stockton Unified's board approved establishment Tuesday night of a new law academy that will open in 2011-12 to replace the soon-to-close Institute of Business, Management and Law.

Roger Phillips

STOCKTON - Even as two other key issues remained unsettled, Stockton Unified's board approved establishment Tuesday night of a new law academy that will open in 2011-12 to replace the soon-to-close Institute of Business, Management and Law.

The board's vote was unanimous, though Trustee David Varela said he was unimpressed with the district's planning.

"I would like to see a more solid proposal," Varela said. "I understand this is a framework. One thing I've noticed in Stockton Unified is we do not follow through well enough on the things we do, and things fall through the cracks. It worries me to set something in motion that is not 100 percent."

He voted in favor of the plan, he said, in large part because of the comments of IBML community members who asked the board to open the law academy. Those community members are hoping some, if not all, of IBML's staff can move to the new school.

IBML sophomore Melody Grace Burdick said, "We understand we have to make a change. But please, let us make it together. We ask that you let us stick together, somehow, someway. You can take our name. You can take our school. One thing you'll never be able to take is our spirit."

Though the law academy was formalized, questions linger regarding two other proposals. One would convert Nightingale Elementary into an all-boys school. The other would move the district's Primary Years Academy from Commodore Stockton Skills to El Dorado Elementary.

Nightingale teachers and community members continue to oppose the single-gender idea.

"Data provided by the district shows one out of three (single-gender schools) are successful," teacher Julie Giese said. "Our students deserve more than a one-out-of-three chance."

AngelAnn Flores, who ran unsuccessfully against Sal Ramirez in November for a seat on the school board, spoke against the single-gender concept and seized the opportunity to take a shot at the man who beat her at the polls.

"Go in the schools you were elected to represent, Mr. Ramirez," Flores said. "Find out what the problems are. Go to the community events. I've been involved 13, 14 years. I've seen you twice."

Ramirez defended himself, saying, "I have given Nightingale a lot of support. ... The teachers know I am behind them."

Meanwhile, the future of the Primary Years Academy - an early-grades preparatory school for the International Baccalaureate program - was not addressed.

Director of Elementary Education Sylvia Ulmer said the item calling for approval or denial of the school's proposed move was pulled because of details that need to be corrected. She said she expects the item on the agenda at the next meeting, on Feb. 8.

Asked if the district continues to view El Dorado as the new home for the program, Ulmer said, "That's still the consideration."